This invention relates generally to the field of ink jet printing, and more particularly to a receiving assembly for inserting and removing a disposable ink cartridge.
Ink jet printing mechanisms are well known and have been adapted to a variety of applications and devices, including, for example, office printers, point of sale devices, and mailing machines. Generally, ink jet printing mechanisms include a print head that ejects a series of ink drops onto paper or other medium, until a desired image is achieved. A reservoir of ink keeps the print head supplied with ink.
Typically, a mailing machine utilizes an ink jet printing mechanism in conjunction with a postage metering system included in the mailing machine. Postage metering systems store and dispense postage. Print quality, therefore, becomes more significant in that the ink jet printer must operate reliably to prevent the operator from experiencing loss of postal funds (money) due to a postage indicia being unreadable. Therefore, proper delivery of ink from the ink cartridge to the print head has increased importance. Delivery of the ink can be facilitated by proper installation of an ink cartridge.
In many applications it is desirable to have a user replaceable ink cartridge for providing the reservoir of ink. In this manner, when one supply of ink has been exhausted, an empty ink cartridge may be replaced with a new ink cartridge to replenish the ink supply.
An ink cartridge should be easily inserted into and removed from the ink jet printing mechanism. Preferably, even an inexperienced operator should find the process intuitive and the process should require minimal physical effort. Due to the location of an ink cartridge within a mailing machine, insertion and extraction of an ink cartridge can sometimes be difficult for some operators.
Ink cartridges typically include a septum that is pierced with a needle to access a supply of ink within the cartridge. For safety reasons, a blunt needle is utilized to pierce the septum of the ink cartridge. The use of a blunt needle can result in a higher than desirable force to perform the piercing operation. In addition, incorporation of an ink jet printing mechanism within a mailing machine may limit access to the location of insertion, thereby adding to the difficulty of supplying the force required to puncture the septum with the blunt needles. Extraction of an empty ink cartridge may also be difficult if the location of the ink cartridge limits access to it.
Therefore, there is a need for an assembly to receive an ink jet cartridge that is intuitive to a user regarding insertion and extraction of the ink cartridge, and that is easy to utilize and does not require an inordinate amount of physical force.
The present invention alleviates the problems associated with the prior art and provides a receiving assembly for an ink cartridge that is easy to use and does not require an inordinate amount of physical force to insert or extract an ink cartridge.
In accordance with the present invention, a replaceable ink cartridge is provided with one or more bosses that extend out from the ink cartridge. A lever is rotatively mounted to a housing for the ink cartridge. The lever includes a curved cam slot. During rotational movement of the lever, the cam slot operatively engages a respective boss and causes the boss to follow a cam formed by the sides of the cam slot. Following the cam form by the cam slot causes the boss to move either upward or downward, according to the direction of the rotational movement, and corresponding movement of the ink cartridge. Downward movement of the ink cartridge will cause a needle mounted to the housing to puncture a septum in the bottom of the ink cartridge, thereby allowing access to the ink contained therein. The mechanical advantage provided by the lever assembly of the present invention facilitates removal or insertion of an ink cartridge and significantly reduces the amount of force required by an operator to insert or remove the ink cartridge.
Therefore it should now be apparent that the invention substantially achieves all the above aspects and advantages. Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Various features and embodiments are further described in the following figures, descriptions and claims.